i took better pics of the shop today , take a look!

[grassman177]

here are some better pics of the same angles and a few more. the blad grinder staion we made, pics of mowers, zsprays, shop area, the mezanine is the wooden shelves. we made those too to store extra parts not in use down below. i may try to re post the truck pics i posted on the other thread, if it wont let me, then they start on page 5-7 on that thread. enjoy

[grassman177]

ok, still going.

[grassman177]

still more for your pleasure!

[grassman177]

these are a couple of different ones,

[DLAWNS]

That's a serious shop. I would kill to have something like that. I hope to get an oversized garage as a shop this year. Nice Pics!

[grassman177]

i cant seem to repost the truck pics, look on page 5-7 on "here are some pics-----" thread . sorry i cant do that.

[nnj18]

how do you like the wright wb???

[Lawn Freak]

That is one awesome shop you have there. Looks like you have a great operation goin there.

[South Florida Lawns]

Those wrights are real work horses money makers! They are the most overbuilt machines I have ever seen and used. I love mine!

[DuallyVette]

How about some pics of the outside of the building ?

[mowerbrad]

I really like all the wrights!! The shop is awesome too.

[br549oicu8]

The Wright Velke walk behind has been a good machine for us. The only drawback was that it had so much power it tended to pop a wheelie. Sounds like fun but it wasn't. We added a weight on the front made for that andit is much better. The controls on it are like the Stander but the newer version is different...and not at all what we would want.

[JosephLawnCare]

what kind of tire changing "station" is that? And how do you like it?

[grassman177]

we like it, and i catnrecall the name. it is premanently mounted the floor. if you really want to know i can ge tthe info for you.. we ccan change all the tires except the trucks. we have that done.

[grassman177]

the outside pics of the shop are in the beginning and end of the thread i made about the pipcs of my shop inside and out. look there and comment please

[br549oicu8]

The tire changer is made by TSI. We have the base, changer and assorted tools as well as the "Cheetah" bead seater. Works great!

[grassman177]

that bead seater had made working with flat tires that pop bead really easy. i remember having to fight to get a tire to seat before this thing, it is very ingenious

[br549oicu8]

Grassman, (aka ME junior), wanted a link to the other thread showing pics of our trucks, trailers and outside of the shop. Start with the below link and scroll down. The pics are on pages 5-7.

http://www.lawnsite.com/showthread.php?t=259328&page=5

[nnj18]

The Wright Velke walk behind has been a good machine for us. The only drawback was that it had so much power it tended to pop a wheelie. Sounds like fun but it wasn't. We added a weight on the front made for that andit is much better. The controls on it are like the Stander but the newer version is different...and not at all what we would want.

yah my exmarks are like that.....i was just wondering cause I dealer here is blowing a few out...

[02DURAMAX]

Dam Thats A very Nice Shop!!!!!!!!!!!!

[DLAWNS]

The tire changer is made by TSI. We have the base, changer and assorted tools as well as the "Cheetah" bead seater. Works great!

You threw me off...because grassman started the thread and than you kept answering questions. I was thinking how does this guy know the answers to these questions? Then I used my brain and looked at your locations and figured out that you guys probably work together. Sorry ya just confused me is all. lol

[grassman177]

yeah, dad and son.

[J & D Greens]

That's a serious shop. I would kill to have something like that. I hope to get an oversized garage as a shop this year. Nice Pics!

DLAWNS; I have a 30x34 and have a very small operation SOLO. and it is seriously to small. I know some day If God blesses us a shop like his would be a must. Hope you do get your over sized Garage, we all have to start somewhere!

[J & D Greens]

Grassman177: Nice shop! must be great to work out of. Maybe someday

[oakhillslandscaping]

nice place man

[grassman177]

thanks, we designed it and had it engineered and all. then contracted out the framing, drywall plumbing and roof and siding installation. we painted it, did the wiring with a friend who is an electrician, did all the inside doors,,trim the shelves, workbenches, fanns etc. you get the idea. even super insulated it oursleves. Br549oicu8, my dad, is a building inspector for the city so he has all the knowledge of thsi kind of stuff. THIS IS HIS OTHER BUSINESS!!! it was worth all the time and effort and has been paid for since day one. we saved a few years for this and ran old equipment for years to afford to do this, but it was worth it all.

[grassman177]

we have almost outgrown it and it is not small, but we have plans to add storage containers and a forklift thsi year out back to place all the fert we use during the season as it is a lot and we dont have room anymore inside. we have stamped ready to build plans made for an eventual out building behind the trucks to house this in the near future, but not yet. it will not beheated i think and will house the fert, spreaders(not the zsprays), tractors that are actually at my dads house in the garage out back and various other things.

[Toad]

Dam dude, 3 kubota's thats cool. Nice shop there also. What do you have on them for hrs. I hit the 500 mark this past summer on the 331.

[grassman177]

each has about 600 or more. no problems yet and love them

[josh1981]

nice shop! but no chainsaws?

[atasteofnature]

i like those lofted areas. no wasted plus is always a plus.

[grassman177]

yeah, we have a stihl chainsaw and a echo, jsut not pictured. they are on the floor in the closet in their cases. we also have hanging with all the trimmers a stihl extended reach atriculating hedge trimmer. that thing is great. we also have a power pruner not pictured.

yeh, the loft mezanine area is a great plus. what else would you do with such a tall ceiling and above the offices right!? appreciate the compliments guys

[DLAWNS]

DLAWNS; I have a 30x34 and have a very small operation SOLO. and it is seriously to small. I know some day If God blesses us a shop like his would be a must. Hope you do get your over sized Garage, we all have to start somewhere!

Thanks, man.

[grassman177]

we used to operate out of three different houses, sheds garages and the such, everyone has to start there. i hope all works for u 2

[br549oicu8]

Save, save, save, save!! That's the best advice I can give you for eventually building a shop. I was lucky. I work another full time job, house paid for, etc.... and I don't take a paycheck from the business. I mowed evenings and weekends (all of them) for many years. As Grassman177 grew older (my son), he got his degree in Turf Management and we expanded from there. We now run 3 full time crews with each crew leader handling the day to day necessities for their customers. I handle the business aspect and no longer work in the field. 26 years plus 6 with a local municipality was enough dues for me to pay. All of this stuff is just info..hope not too boring.
Building the shop and expanding has been a good decision, but it took many years to be ready for that much investment.
I plan to retire from my other job in about a year and a half and will be more involved daily AT the shop. The business is basically my retirement and my son's future.

Buddy

[grassman177]

ahw, shucks

[tstutz]

wow looks like everything has its place! very organized! thanks for sharing

[josh1981]

yeah, we have a stihl chainsaw and a echo, jsut not pictured. they are on the floor in the closet in their cases. we also have hanging with all the trimmers a stihl extended reach atriculating hedge trimmer. that thing is great. we also have a power pruner not pictured.

yeh, the loft mezanine area is a great plus. what else would you do with such a tall ceiling and above the offices right!? appreciate the compliments guys

what model stihl saw and echo? how do you like the echo? is it good? reliable?

[grassman177]

i will have to look at the models of chainsaws, i cant recall. i liekk both stihl is larger and the echo is just a trim saw. will get photos and models for you though.

[josh1981]

i will have to look at the models of chainsaws, i cant recall. i liekk both stihl is larger and the echo is just a trim saw. will get photos and models for you though.

I have stihl 180 and 290. looking to replace 290 something lighter. would you reccommend echo?

thanks about pics. appreciate it.

[grassman177]

we use echo mostly and yes i do recomend it for a trim saw as this is the only expereince with their saws i have, otherwise, i personaly think stihl might be better fo rthe bigger saws. yeah, i will check it out in the moring and post the info after noon sometime when i get home

[pelleas98]

Yeah for a trim saw only the echos are much better. But like Grassman177 said for bigger jobs I'd go with the stil.

[grassman177]

the echo is a small trim saw, the sthil is used for more extensive tree work, although we do very little really. got to have the tools if you are gong to do the work, no matter how big or small right!

[Ramairfreak98ss]

That's a serious shop. I would kill to have something like that. I hope to get an oversized garage as a shop this year. Nice Pics!

lol all jersians would kill for that. Hell it would cost more in property and taxes than to actually pay for the garage of that size! Im lucky im squeezing in a 1140sq ft 46x27 garage to add to my others. I proposed 3200 to the township and they laughed.

Only way i see is that im going to have to have a commercial property in the next year or two or use a small commercial area PLUS my house property still which sucks.

I keep some of our stored equipment at a farm in the home town, it takes up a lot of space. In the summer even, we store all the salt spreaders, push spreaders, plows, pallets of salt & calcium, shovels, snow blowers etc. It takes up an areas about 30x40 alone. I mean i could squeeze the stuff in more if i wanted to, but i like to drive in, put a plow down and drive in again and put the next down behind it. The skids sit in a room next to the equipment and eat up a good 25x30 area..... in this line of work.

Why would any of us be considering construction of more space if its less than a 100x80' pole barn lol. When im 90 i might see that in nj.

[nnj18]

lol all jersians would kill for that. Hell it would cost more in property and taxes than to actually pay for the garage of that size! Im lucky im squeezing in a 1140sq ft 46x27 garage to add to my others. I proposed 3200 to the township and they laughed.

Only way i see is that im going to have to have a commercial property in the next year or two or use a small commercial area PLUS my house property still which sucks.

I keep some of our stored equipment at a farm in the home town, it takes up a lot of space. In the summer even, we store all the salt spreaders, push spreaders, plows, pallets of salt & calcium, shovels, snow blowers etc. It takes up an areas about 30x40 alone. I mean i could squeeze the stuff in more if i wanted to, but i like to drive in, put a plow down and drive in again and put the next down behind it. The skids sit in a room next to the equipment and eat up a good 25x30 area..... in this line of work.

Why would any of us be considering construction of more space if its less than a 100x80' pole barn lol. When im 90 i might see that in nj.

bottom line is that you need to move outta NJ. Get the same amount for lawns in other areas of the country with less living costs...

oh and try a Stihl MS200T for a trim saw, you'll never buy another brand again....a little pricey at around $650ish but trust me its worth it.

[treeman574]

neither one of those saws the echo or stihl 200 are trim saws they are climbing saws designed to be used up in the tree they really arent designed to be run for long periods of time full out cut here idle cut there idle and so on if you want what you are discribing as a trim saw i would recomend a i think they 260 pro now but not a top handle climbing saw

[grassman177]

well, i am not a tree service. so i dont realy care designation. we use them for the occasional limb, small tree, storm cleanup etc. have never had a problem. they are great and run perfect everytime(not too often) the echo is real light and this is what he asked .

[josh1981]

the echo is a small trim saw, the sthil is used for more extensive tree work, although we do very little really. got to have the tools if you are gong to do the work, no matter how big or small right!

very nice saws. I love them both. Man I love that 250 such a great saw 3HP beast! :weightlifter:

Thanks for the pictures.

How big do you cut with that 250?

[josh1981]

neither one of those saws the echo or stihl 200 are trim saws they are climbing saws designed to be used up in the tree they really arent designed to be run for long periods of time full out cut here idle cut there idle and so on if you want what you are discribing as a trim saw i would recomend a i think they 260 pro now but not a top handle climbing saw

yes! I was looking at 260 in catalog. that saw is great.

really what I need is something to cut up to 30 inches but doesnt wear me out. my 290 is great but too damn heavy to be using all day. and just too big a saw for what I need now. Actually always has been but I just kept it.

Yes salesman talked me into it. I should of just got 260 at the time...

I should add that 290 is a great saw for over 30 inches cutting. But under 30 just too big IMO.

[grassman177]

i am not sure what 30 inches you mean. diameter or circumfrance. we dont usually cut any bigger than about 12-15 inches with it in diameter. if it is biger than that, we refer to a tree company as we really dont do much of it. hope that helps.

[br549oicu8]

Diameter. I remember in the early 80's working for the local Parks Dept. and using their old Homelite that had a 60" bar on it. Engine was on one end and a handle on the other. We have a lot of older oaks here in NE Kansas. One day we had a huge tree to cut down. A storm had taken part of it out and it was hazardous. We had to take the handle off and go from both sides!! Yikes!
Anyway...enough about that!!
Our 2 smaller saws work well for us. Like Grassman said, we have no interest in tree cutting other than something quite small in the landscape for an existing customer. Anything else is referred on...
We do maintain our certifications as Certified Kansas Arborists but just for consultation reasons....

[green_with_envy]

I see you get your turf products from Helena. I have used some of them. How do you like them?

[treeman574]

Josh if you want a killer everyday saw go with a 360 pro. Grassman the shop and equipment look killer. and i dont blame you guys for not doing trees its killer work but up here its also killer money so we really cant pass it up

[Ben's Landscape]

Nice shop!! sure beats my shed!!! HAHAHAHA

[grassman177]

thanks all, we love helena chemical. they ahve great products and great pricing. the service i get here is also outstanding. we still use from bwi some and use to use verdicon/uap but those two are much higher prices for the same stuff. the one thing i really like from bwi is the five star fescue blend grass seed. i just cant find anything better for here.

[josh1981]

i am not sure what 30 inches you mean. diameter or circumfrance. we dont usually cut any bigger than about 12-15 inches with it in diameter. if it is biger than that, we refer to a tree company as we really dont do much of it. hope that helps.

thats what i meant. I have cut about twice that size BUT only a few times. One tree i had to cut down in back yard and other one that fell on our house LOL. This pine tree my stepdad and me cut up man i could of just used a 250 on it and good size pine too.

But I know what you mean.

Do you live in the city? Lot of houses around?

[grassman177]

ohyeah, tons of houses. why?

[josh1981]

ohyeah, tons of houses. why?

Just wondering. If I was in same situation I would not cut anything big either. For fear of falling on a house.

Around in my subdivision we have nothing bigger than 10 inches in fact I could take my 180 and cut everything in here no joke.

Across road a bigger saw is needed bigger trees over there like 20 inches and bigger I think?

And where my parents live both big and small saws needed.

Yes Atlanta is interesting

[br549oicu8]

Long before Grassman was old enough to come out on the jobs I did some tree work, not a ton though. Anothe guy and I used to trim, thin and remove smaller trees. That work was in addition to the lawn side and I quickly learned the turf work was going to be more reliable for me. So many people desparately need tree work but just don't want to spend the money.
This thread started as "better pics of the shop" and look where it is now!! LOL!!!!
There's a local guy that does some lawn work but prefers tree work. We may sit down someday and chat about me buying him out and him coming to work for us. Time will tell........

[green_with_envy]

thanks all, we love helena chemical. they ahve great products and great pricing. the service i get here is also outstanding. we still use from bwi some and use to use verdicon/uap but those two are much higher prices for the same stuff. the one thing i really like from bwi is the five star fescue blend grass seed. i just cant find anything better for here.


I also like the service and pricing from Helena. I did think some of the granulars were a bit clumpy and hard to spread but that might have been a bad batch. I get good grass seed pricing and some chemicals from Seedway. Their seed pricing is good.

[grassman177]

i think it might have been the batch, wehave found their products and formulations have been the most consistent , clean, even prill size and not dusty. toher brands have been much worse. nothing like spreading pre m and the dust is so bad you come home yellow!!!!!!!!!!!!! seedway, nothing here by that name. oh well

[Green Finger]

Very nice set up. YOu are running a compound:weightlifter:

[T.Brandon]

Very nice operation you have there!

[grassman177]

may be and army of lawn!!!!!!!!!!!!

[shade tree landscaping]

very nice! VERY VERY clean and organized!!!

[stroker51]

Hey grassman, figured I'd move our thread-jacking convo's over here to your thread, till I figure out how to get my pics up here and start my own. You were talkin about the not-cooperative nature of the biz. Do you know Jeff over at Epic? He taught a bunch of my classes at JCCC and has been a great help to me with any questions I got or anything else. How spread out are you guys from Leavenworth?

[theminigardener7]

Sorry if this has already been said but How many accounts do you guys run a week?

O and by the way AMAZING SHOP!

[grassman177]

i might have met jeff when i went to college there. i cant remember all of the teachers. we go to basehor and suraounding areas. between here and atchison,and west of lv too. no farther right now, seems crazy to travel too far as we would loose money in travel time. maybe in ther future.

weare mowing like 300 plus accounts aweek. something like that. no official count

[br549oicu8]

Sorry if this has already been said but How many accounts do you guys run a week?

O and by the way AMAZING SHOP!

I saved my butt of for 3 years prior to building the shop. During that time I worked up as many floor plan ideas as I could possibly think of but always ended up going back to my original drawing. It has proven to be an efficient layout so far. We could use a little more storage space but that always seems to be the case. When we get a couple of cargo containers set up in the back lot, we will be able to gain a lot of space inside.
Every off-season the crew leaders work to get the shop just like new before we kick off the new season. They all appreciate what they have to work in and with.
I appreciate the positive comments on the shop.
My advice to anyone doing the same is to save like crazy so you don't have a big payment weighing you down. That could put you under quickly during a drought season!!!
Almost time to make money again, guys!!!!!!!
:usflag:

[stroker51]

we go to basehor and suraounding areas. between here and atchison,and west of lv too. no farther right now, seems crazy to travel too far as we would loose money in travel time. maybe in ther future.

weare mowing like 300 plus accounts aweek. something like that. no official count

I'm the same way, I have thought about trying to pick up some work further east, DeSoto, OP, Olathe, but haven't really had the need to. It's like 60 degrees and raining right now, I got rained/crazy wind gusts drove me off the job I'm trying to finish right now, but it's sure starting to feel like spring, if I could just get one more snow......

[grassman177]

i love rain. i wish we too would get one more snow before spring hits for good

[TMlawncare]

neither one of those saws the echo or stihl 200 are trim saws they are climbing saws designed to be used up in the tree they really arent designed to be run for long periods of time full out cut here idle cut there idle and so on if you want what you are discribing as a trim saw i would recomend a i think they 260 pro now but not a top handle climbing saw

We have a Stihl ms 200t also. We use it up in the tree, on the ground, trimming. It only weighs 7-8 lbs and is a beast. Very expensive, will idle all day if thats what you want. Extremely fast. Will cut faster then my Stihl 290. Yes its made for tree professional to use up in a tree. But most of those guys we work with use them for hours upon end in the tree or on the ground. Sometimes for 4-5 hours straight. Its a pro level saw you can use it for practically any application. BTW, we bought ours primarly for trimming. Why, because a top handle saw is the only way you can grab limb with one hand and saw with the other. It is so much easier and faster. Btw, all the tree pro's do there trimming with top handles. They only pull out the big saws for the base or large limbs over 8-10" in diameter.

[stroker51]

Yeah one more snow would be nice. I gotta nice shiny new Hiniker V plow sitting in the shop that hasn't hardly had the paint wore off the cutting edges yet. I'm not feeling it as bad as one guy I work with, he decided he'd get into the salt business this year, he's always had his own pile but talked me and 3 other guys into buying from him. We went through like 70 tons in December, but now he's got all re-stocked and collectively we might have pulled 25 tons or so since then. I don't know what he's gonna do with all of it, the pad it's on is supposed to be his mulch pad. Just part of the game on the snow side I guess.

[grassman177]

the snow game is one i wont play. not worth it at all. this is vacation time and if i want to go aout of country for three weeks i can with no hesitaion.

[stroker51]

The money is just too good for me to pass up. I can make as much in one storm as I will in 2 weeks or maintenance. The only vacation I take is once or twice a year head to western kansas for some pheasant hunting, I just have never had much of a desire to venture very far, although I'm contemplating Vegas next year for the NFR. This winter you would have had plenty of time off to relax, lol. The part I hate the most about snow is a toss up between day time pushes, and those snows where it's right on the borderline of push, burn it off with salt, or let it be.

[grassman177]

yeah, i started traveling the world now and we go to vegas during the nfr every december but that might change this year who knows. if we do and you decide to go we will have to cordinate or something. but that is a long way off. it is still winter yet!

[stroker51]

Sure hasn't felt like it's still winter yet. I think we are going to get some of the bigger fert jobs hit with pre-em starting in 3 weeks or so. Yeah if we go to vegas we definately need to meet up. If you're ever down in this neighborhood give me a shout. I dont make it up your way often, the farthest I get up K7 is Kokopelli Nursery or Lesco, usually not much further than that.

[stroker51]

I just re-read the first sentence of that post, and it didnt make much sense. I meant to say that it sure hasn't felt like winter the last few days. It's been a long day, lol.

[bulldoglawncare]

i may only be 17 and in the biz for 5 years, but i can honestly say id kill to have a shop like that! do you own or lease it ?

[stroker51]

He mentioned either further up in this thread, or in the other one he's got, that they own that facility.

[br549oicu8]

i may only be 17 and in the biz for 5 years, but i can honestly say id kill to have a shop like that! do you own or lease it ?


I own it outright. No payments....paid cash all the way as it was built.
Let me tell you....that felt GREAT!!!!!!

Don't know how we got along without it now..

[grassman177]

we are about ready to roll out. i have the spring fever but is seems like winter was really short. cant wait to break in the new zspray!! i will take pics of the trailers loaded up when we start mowing. maybe sooner. right now we are doing some last minute mods to the trailers and repainting one that got a major overhaul. it is going to be our applications trialer ffor our zsprays and fert. it will be pulled behind our spray trucks that we use for nurse tanks. i will get pics in the morning of the trialer after th e mods before painting and the floors. my trailer is getting all new expanded metal on the rear gate as the original has come off too many times and gotten bent and all. it was weak to begin with. needs thicker metal. oh well,

[stroker51]

Yup, we are fixing to get rollin with pre-emergent in a couple weeks. I think spring is gettin close. Hoping to spread a little salt tomorrow night....maybe. I still have to get my spray rig mounted on it's trailer, new tires on my Z turn and dump, and I think I'll be ready to go. Hopefully we will be getting going doing spring cleanups pretty quick, just got a call about a big leaf cleanup, maybe the mowing account too, and the ball starts rolling.....

[STIHL GUY]

thats a nice shop you got there

[br549oicu8]

I appreciate all the positive comments from you guys!!! Having a real shop is totally awesome!!!!!!

Buddy

[Homecutter]

Holy S batman. You have some capital invested there! Very nice shop.

[SouthernLawnCare4860]

Ever Have any problems with those EverRides??

[grassman177]

for the most part no. we have one with about 650 hrs on it right now at the dealer to fix a hydro leak on one pump. but that is nothing to do withthe mower, no complaints at all. they have been good to us and produce a very nice cut. we got them pretty cheap too as i am sure my dad will chime in, but think they were around 7500 a piece. we have two 60's and two 54's

[SouthernLawnCare4860]

Every Have any trouble out of those EverRides>

[grassman177]

can we say double post!

[Lawn Freak]

Looks awesome!

[KS_Grasscutter]

Got any rig or work pictures yet? Pretty much everyone around here has been cutting ornamental grasses, mulching, spreading fertilizer, and doing spring cleanups for like the last week or so.

[Lawn Freak]

Got any rig or work pictures yet? Pretty much everyone around here has been cutting ornamental grasses, mulching, spreading fertilizer, and doing spring cleanups for like the last week or so.

I will be doing some ornamental grasses within the next week or so prolly. I can't wait to get rollin' with the season!

[grassman177]

we started but we got hat 7 in snow that is still not all melted. my guess is we will back out for thurs-sat to finish cleanups(my crew) and then starting next week with apps and mulching an such. no mowing yet but in about 2 weeks or less i think. i will get some pics as we go, but my batteries are dead in the camera right now.!

[Lawn Freak]

we started but we got hat 7 in snow that is still not all melted. my guess is we will back out for thurs-sat to finish cleanups(my crew) and then starting next week with apps and mulching an such. no mowing yet but in about 2 weeks or less i think. i will get some pics as we go, but my batteries are dead in the camera right now.!

You think you'll be mowing in 2 weeks?!?

[grassman177]

yup, my lawn is alread half green even after the snow. i cut it short already with my clean up so we mow all down after the cleanups and first apps are done. my then they are starting to grean and cutting them short is good for them to remove all the dead and start heating up the gound more and allowing more light to the emerging leaves to start photo again. gets the ball rollin!!!!!

[Lawn Freak]

yup, my lawn is alread half green even after the snow. i cut it short already with my clean up so we mow all down after the cleanups and first apps are done. my then they are starting to grean and cutting them short is good for them to remove all the dead and start heating up the gound more and allowing more light to the emerging leaves to start photo again. gets the ball rollin!!!!!

Awesome! I hope it gets green here soon!